A word of praise for Hastings Observer journalist Sol Buckner who successfully challenged a court clerk's attempt to prevent the naming of a baby allegedly killed by her father.

The clerk at Brighton magistrates court, Sandra Cryan, imposed a section 39 order in the case of Mark Sandland who was charged with murdering his daughter, Aimee Rose, in November 2012.

Buckner, assistant content editor at the Hastings paper, challenged the move and - in company with TV journalists Colin Campbell of BBC South East Today and Malcolm Shaw of ITV's Meridian News - spoke to the clerk during a break.

Buckner then addressed the courtroom to point to the clause in the Children and Young Persons Act, which states that "orders cannot be made in respect of dead children."

He was quickly interrupted by the clerk who duly told the magistrates that the order could not be issued.

"I was adamant that the bench should understand that the court clerk had no power to issue a section 39 order on a dead child. I had the support of my fellow journalists present and it was a team effort."

Comment: Clearly, the court clerk made a mistake. But it was a bad error. How could the naming of the child affect the outcome of the case? So well done to Sol Buckner and the TV reporters for changing her mind.

The importance of this episode, and one reason for highlighting it, is to remind reporters across the country of the need to scrutinise rulings by court clerks.

Journalists, whether experienced as in Buckner's case, or juniors who have recently benefitted from the training in media law, must be prepared to challenge decisions in such circumstances.